This invention relates to sailing vessels and more particularly to a track system for a mast and a method of mounting a track on the mast of a sailing vessel.
Masts for sail vessels such as sailboats have a rearwardly facing slot or groove for supporting a luff or leading edge of a mainsail. For example, the luff of the sail may be attached to a bolt rope, and a circular groove having a restricted opening may be provided in the mast. The boltrope is introduced at an enlarged opening in the groove near the bottom of the mast, and the sail may be raised and lowered using a halyard attached to the head of the sail. In other arrangements, the luff may be secured to a plurality of spaced lugs which are slidably received in the mast groove, for example, wherein the groove has a T-shaped cross section and receives a T-shape lug.
In recent times, especially with the advent of full batten mainsails, a rearwardly facing external track has been mounted on the mast. The track is designed to slidably carry a number of cars. The forward ends of individual battens, which extend entirely between the luff and leech of the sail, are connected to individual cars. Since the battens are usually in compression, the track and traveler system facilitates the raising and lowering of the sail. U.S. Pat. No. 4,823,720 illustrates the use of a particular swivel joint between a mainsail batten and the mast. Mast track systems are generally shown on pages 98 and 99 of the 1990 Harken Yacht Equipment catalog, Harken, Inc., 1251 East Wisconsin Avenue, Pewaukee, Wis. 53072.
Mounting of a track on the mast is a time consuming and laborious process, usually requiring skilled labor. Individual track sections are supplied with a plurality of longitudinally spaced screw holes. It is necessary to drill holes in the mast, tap the holes and secure the section to the mast and in longitudinal alignment with each other using screws.